Papillon (2017 film)
| screenplay = Aaron Guzikowski | based on = | starring = | music = David Buckley | cinematography = Hagen Bogdanski | editing = | studio = | distributor = Bleecker Street | released = | runtime = 133 minutes | country = | language = English | budget = | gross = $4.5 million }} Papillon is a 2017 biographical drama film directed by Michael Noer. It tells the story of French convict Henri Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), nicknamed Papillon ("butterfly"), who was imprisoned in 1933 in the notorious Devil's Island penal colony and escaped in 1941 with the help of another convict, counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek). The film's screenplay is based on Charrière's autobiographies Papillon and Banco, as well as the former's 1973 film adaptation, which was written by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr. and starred Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. Papillon premiered on September 9, 2017, in the Special Presentations section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released in the United States on August 24, 2018, by Bleecker Street. Plot Henri "Papillon" Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld, is framed for murder. Though he has an alibi from his lover, Nenette, Papillon is convicted and condemned to the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island in French Guiana — a hellish prison from which nobody has escaped. On the boat to South America, Papillon is awakened as two convicts murder the prisoner sleeping next to him in order to cut open his stomach and steal the money he had swallowed. He forms an unlikely alliance with a quirky counterfeiter named Louis Dega, who is targeted by the other prisoners who suspect him of also hiding money. Papillon saves Louis' life one night and is punished for fighting by the guards. In exchange for Papillon's protection, Louis agrees to finance Papillon's escape, ultimately resulting in a bond of lasting friendship. Cast * Charlie Hunnam as Henri "Papillon" Charrière * Rami Malek as Louis Dega * Roland Møller as Celier * Tommy Flanagan as Masked Breton * Eve Hewson as Nenette * Michael Socha as Julot * Ian Beattie as Toussaint * Yorick van Wageningen as Warden Barrot * Nikola Kent as Deputy Warden Brioulet * Petar Cirica as Abda Production Papillon was shot in different locations around Europe including Montenegro, Malta, and significantly, in Belgrade, Serbia. Release Papillon released in the United States by Bleecker Street on August 24, 2018. Reception Box office , Papillon has grossed $1,585,045 in the United States and Canada, and $2,180,684 in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $3,765,729. The film debuted to $1.2 million from 544 theaters in its opening weekend, finishing 16th. Critical response On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 53% based on 87 reviews, and an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Papillon puts its own well-acted, solidly produced spin on a previously adapted tale, although it may not be quite enough to erase viewers' memories of the 1973 version." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Sarah Melton from Exclaim! gave the film a mixed review, saying, "It's by no means a bad story, but it's unsatisfyingly safe in a way that such a brutal tale probably shouldn't be." References External links * Category:2017 films Category:English-language films Category:American films Category:American crime drama films Category:American biographical films Category:Adventure drama films Category:Films based on actual events Category:Films based on non-fiction books Category:Prison films Category:Films set in jungles Category:Films set on Devil's Island Category:American film remakes Category:Film scores by David Buckley